‘Gemma Owen reminds me of myself on the show’: Amber Gill talks Love Island 2022 cast and ‘subconscious’ link to debut novel-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Former Islander Amber tweets along with the show regularly (Picture: ITV/Rex)

Former Love Island winner Amber Gill has moved from romance on screen to romance on the page as she releases her debut novel, Until I Met You, but the TV star was happy to share her thoughts on the series’ 2022 cast, and who she’s supporting.

One contestant in particular has stood out so far for her, and that is international dressage rider and daughter of football icon Michael Owen, Gemma Owen, with the new author revealing that she is reminded of herself on the show through the 19-year-old.

Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk, Amber shared: ‘I really like Gemma, I really like Gemma. There’s little bits that she does that reminds me of what I was like on the show. And so I’m like, “Oh, I just really like her!” I wouldn’t mind seeing Gemma win. But it’s hard to say.’

The TV star also said she thought that Paige Thorne and Jacques O’Neill ‘had a chance’ at winning because she felt like ‘people really just like them’, but this prediction came ahead of this year’s Casa Amor, which has already caused chaos.

Amber has become a popular commentator on the show on social media, with fans liking to go to her for hot takes and humour.

She reckoned it’s because she strives to keep things light but also has insider knowledge, and shared that she is able to enjoy watching Love Island despite having been through it all herself three years ago.

Amber went into the villa in 2019, emerging victorious with Greg O’Shea (Picture: ITV)

Gemma Owen is in the 2022 batch, and Amber sees a resemblance (Picture: ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)

‘I just enjoy it. I sort of know what’s going on. And I think that’s how I can make sure that my commentary on it doesn’t overstep the line with anything. I keep it really light-hearted, but I just enjoy it for what it is – and I’m a viewer just like everyone else.’

However, her followers can get quite demanding if it looks like she’s not tuning in.

‘I get bullied by my Twitter followers if I’m not watching it! [I was] going out on Sunday with my friend and everyone was like, “Where are you?” I was like, “What do you mean? I’m out the house.” And they were like, “How dare you, you should be doing your Twitter commentary!”’ she joked.

‘I was like, “Okay, guys!” I didn’t know that I was fighting to be the official commentator on Twitter. But apparently I am!’

Until I Met You is a romance novel set on an island – Tobago, to be exact – but its writer promises there was no inspiration taken from Love Island, although she accepts readers will search for a link.

Calling the superficial similarity ‘maybe subconscious but not intentional’ she added: ‘I kind of wanted to see if I couldn’t help it. Because I did want it to be tropical. Thinking about it, we did have those conversations, and it was like, “Yeah, but you just said you don’t want it to be about Love Island but now you want it to be an island and it’s a romance?”

Until I Met You follows the story of Samantha and Roman (Picture: Mills & Boon)

‘It’s one of those things. I didn’t want it to be anything like Love Island but I did want it to be tropical, so that was just something that I had to sort of compromise on. I just have to deal with the fact that people will probably try to make a little connection even though there’s not really one.’

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Amber’s also firm on not having been inspired by any of her Love Island co-stars’ relationships, such as still-together runners-up Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury.

‘I don’t think anyone would want to read that in a in a romance book to be honest, it’s quite intense, isn’t it? It’s not quite the Mills & Boon romance, Love Island’s not quite that! So there’s no inspiration!’

Love Island airs nightly at 9pm on ITV2. Until I Met You by Amber Rose Gill is published by Mills & Boon in paperback, ebook and audiobook. It releases on July 7. Find it on Amazon here.

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